Monumento Natural Quejigo del Amo o del Carbón

The Quejigo del Amo or del Carbón is a natural monument of Andalusia that protects a specimen of gall oak located in the municipality of Valdepeñas de Jaén, in the southwest of the province of Jaén, within the region of the Sierra Sur and specifically near the Quiebrajano reservoir.

This specimen of Quercus faginea is representative of the autochthonous Mediterranean vegetation, it is quite common in Andalusia, Castilla-La Mancha, Extremadura and Murcia.

The appearance and structure that it shows is the result of the charcoal to which, with certainty, it was subjected years ago. This practice, traditional in Andalusia and other regions of the Iberian Peninsula, consists of pruning the branches for use as charcoal, which is evident from the fact that they are not very developed compared to the thickness of the trunk.

The gall oak is estimated to be between 500 and 1000 years old and was declared a natural monument by the Junta de Andalucía in 2001. Before this date, it was protected under the figure of singular tree, due to its beauty and grandeur. It is considered one of the largest in Andalusia.